LEVERAGE: The Broken Wing Job

A job that opens up with most of the team (without Parker) in Japan with an artifact and a monkey is a very odd cold open to the show. But poor Parker has a torn ACL and is on bed-rest for six weeks and left with Amy, one of the wait staff from the brew pub below headquarters.

Leaving Parker with Amy is like asking Parker to really understand humans, as Amy likes to talk about anything and everything. Of course, that’s before starts watching way too much daytime television and goes a little stir crazy. If I were left with bad television or the security feed of the brew pub, I’d start watching the feed too, Parker.

Parker watches all of the regular customers, which Amy also does, but on a smaller scale from the ground. While on the subject of lives, Amy’s dad isn’t thrilled with her being anything that doesn’t follow her in the family business.

Finding out about K and V–two guys who come in every day and order coffee, Parker figures out that they’re in the Pub to steal something. Without the rest of the team, but with all the time on her hands, Parker’s now dedicated to figuring out what they’re up to. Too bad they decided to rob something from a pub owned by thieves.

One well-timed phone call to Eliot later and Parker’s trying to use Amy to help figure out what K and V are planning. A well-placed bug later, and then destroyed, Parker’s at least knows that the thieves are planning something to get them plenty of cash.

I know Parker’s so used to being active, but a full knee-brace in a vent is not a good idea. Even if she’s trying to find out what those two are up to. Knowing now that the score is on the same corner as a bar, Parker’s even more concerned about getting rid of these two guys.

Guns means that the police don’t get involved to Parker. But it’s totally cool to skim cell phone data. Too bad for Parker the skimmer is going to take everyone’s data not just K and V’s. Add in another tracking device into the mix, Parker and Amy find out that the other two guys in this plan are sitting in a van with disabled plates to allow them to be anywhere.

2:30 is now more than just the time Amy has to take the trash but also when the armed truck gets money from the jewelry store.

In Parker’s mind, these guys aren’t good enough for them not to get away. Too bad Amy’s worried about the gun and the fact that K and V keep aborting their mission.

This one-man (well two-man con) is now getting more complicated with some additional players for the two lovebirds in the pub.Turns out that Amy’s actually what the guys were after–it’s a kidnapping! Amy’s worth a few million dollars, so why not take her? But with the drivers out cold (thanks to Parker’s pain pills), K and V have to find out that Amy got away. Romeo and Juliet’s dates are Portland PD, which is great with a gun involved, until one of the cops is shot. I also love that Chicken Parm’s doctor’s skills are coming into play.

One of the kidnappers has figured out the secret of how Parker ruined the heist, but that doesn’t mean everyone is safe at all.

Parker, why did you get K and V into the main room of the hide-out? That seems like a bad idea on any level. Especially when you’re in a knee brace. But I guess the crutch came in really handy in the end.

Chicken Parm’s all alone in the bar and it sort of makes me sad for him. But I like that Parker’s trying to talk to him and actually gets the story of why he always orders it.